Clutch mechanism of circular knitting machines



Aug.'26, 1952 G. PALMER ETAL 2,608,075

CLUTCH MECHANISM OF CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 3, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnvlentors %mllw %l 26, 1952, G, PALMER ET AL 2,608,075

CLUTCH MECHANISM OF CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 3, 1950 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 26, 1952 G. PALMER ETAL 2,608,075

CLUTCH MECHANISM OF CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 H63 I 3 a 5 9 34a r 2 3 l2 I 5 go 6 I I'l 7 5 Aug. 26, 1952 s. PALMER ETAL 2,608,075

CLUTCH MECHANISM OF CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 3, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Invenlors 46 3 @EW I. v maeu'". r097" Patented Aug. 26, 1952 CLUTCH MECHANISM OF CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES George Palmer and Samuel Edmund Carver, Leicester, England, assignors to G. Stibbe & Co. Limited, Leicester, England, a British com- Application June 3, 1950, Serial No. 165,964 In Great Britain June 16, 1949 14 Claims. 1

This invention relates to circular seamless hose and half hose knitting machines adapted to operate both with rotary motion as well as with rotary-reciprocatory, i. e. oscillatory, motion in the production of heel and toe and like pouches.

Circular knitting machines of this particular type incorporate clutch mechanism operable automatically from the main timing or control means of the machine for the purpose of effecting, at required times, the necessary changes in the motion of the machine from rotary to rotaryreciprocatory knitting and vice versa.

The conventional form of clutch mechanism commonly fitted to a machine of the type concerned, hereinafter referred to as clutch mechanism of the form herein described, consists of a sleeve which is feathered on a drive shaft and has a clutch formation at each end thereof. This sleeve is axially slidable relatively to the drive shaft between one position in which the clutch formation at one end is interengaged with a complementary formation in or on a clutch component constituted by a boss on a continuously rotatable gear freely mounted on the shaft, and another position in which the clutch formation at the opposite end is similarly interengaged with a complementary formation in or on another clutch component constituted by a boss on a gear (known as the quadrant pinion) adapted to be turned to and fro upon the said shaft. Thus, whenever the knitting machine is in operation one or the other of the said two gears will always be coupled to the drive shaft to transmit the required drive thereto. The complementary male and female clutch formation consist of dogs or teeth and corresponding recesses to receive the same. The clutch sleeve is adapted to be shifted at the required times by means operable by cams on an intermittently rotatable timing and control drum.

Now, heretofore, whenever the clutch sleeve has been shifted axially from one position to the other to effect a change in the motion of the machine as aforesaid, the appropriate male and female clutch formations have been abruptly interengaged as a consequence of which a considerable load has been imposed, through the intermediate connections, on the control drum and means for racking the same. Moreover, with a clutch mechanism of the form herein described a change not only has to be made in the small interval of time during which the clutch formations are substantially aligned but also has to be coincident with a racking movement of the drum: these requirements naturally necessitate careful adjustment of the cams on the drum and incidentally impose restrictions on the timing of other operations of the machine.

The object of the present invention is to pro vide, in a circular knitting machine of the type referred to, a clutch mechanism of improved construction designed to obviate the foregoing disadvantages.

The improved clutch mechanism is of the form hereinbefore described and is characterised in that each of the recesses is so extended as to be of greater circumferential extent than the corresponding male clutch formation, the extended portion of the recess having fitted therein a corresponding yieldable section adapted, when the clutch sleeve is shifted axially in the appropriate direction and during relative turning movement of the said sleeve and the relevant clutch component, to be engagedby the male clutch formation and pressed aside axially thereby enabling the entrance of the said formation into the recess proper to take place gradually and smoothly.

As will be appreciated, the free end of the yieldable section and the opposing end of the recess are spaced apart and define the circumferential extent of the actual female formation.

The idea underlying the invention is that preparatory to a male clutch formation engaging in the corresponding female formation, the clutch sleeve shall be permitted to have a certain amount of axial movement without imposing any substantial load on the means employed to effect such axial movement. Consequently, by the time the male formation passes off the free end of the yieldable section it has only a relatively small distance to move axially to complete its full projection into the recess. In this way the interengagement of the complementary formations is effected gradually and smoothlywithout shock. Moreover, since the initial phase of the axial movement of the clutch sleeve takes place while the male clutch formation is separated circumferentially from the operative (in contra-distinction to the extended) portion of the recess, the position of the cam on the control drum for-effecting such movement does not require to be critically adjusted.

Figure 1 is a general perspective view of the said mechanism including not only the means for oscillating the'q'uadrant pinion but also the clutch fork and lever, operable from the control drum of a circular knitting machine of the type concerned, for shifting the clutch sleeve,

Figure 2 is a side view of so much of the lower part of such a machine as is necessary to illustrate, in a general way, the application thereto of a clutch mechanism of the form herein described,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the improved clutch mechanism per se,

Figure 4 is a part-sectional elevation of the mechanism showing a dog or tooth on the clutch sleeve engaged in a recess in the continuously rotatable gear,

Figure 5 is a further elevational view of the mechanism, this time showing a dog or tooth on the quadrant pinion engaged in a recess in the clutch sleeve,

Figure 6 is a detail end view, as seen in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 4, depicting the left-hand end of the clutch sleeve and the manner in which the latter is keyed to the driving shaft,

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view illustrating one of the sector-shaped yieldable sections, the compression spring for controlling the same and the associated stop screw, and

Figures 8 and 9 are two further elevational views showing modifications of the mechanism.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters through-out the drawings.

Referring to the figures, it will be seen that the clutch mechanism is of the form including a clutch sleeve I which is rotatable together with, and axially slidable relatively to, a drive shaft 2. The clutch sleeve I embraces a portion 2a of the shaft 2 of enlarged diameter, and has formed therein a longitudinal keyway in which is engaged a feather key 3 secured in the said shaft portion 2a (see Figures 4, 5 and 6). From the drive shaft 2 are derived the motions of the rotary cylinder or cylinders, or the cylinder and dial, as the case may be, of the circular knitting machine. Projecting in an axial direction from the right-hand end of the clutch sleeve I (viewing the mechanism as seen from the front of the machine) is a tapered sectorial dog 4, whilst in the left-hand end of the sleeve is formed a tapered recess 5. The clutch sleeve I is axially slidable on the drive shaft 2 between one position (Figures 1, 3 and 4) in which the tapered dog 4 is engaged in a complementary recess 6 formed in a boss I on a continuously rotatable gear 8 freely mounted on the shaft 2, and another position (Figure 5) in which there is received in the recess 5 a tapered sectorial dog 9 projecting in an axial direction from a boss ID on a quadrant pinion I I adapted to be turned continuously to and fro upon the said shaft. The continuously rotatable gear 8, which is provided on a sleeve I2 surrounding the drive shaft 2, is, as shown in Figure 2, arranged in mesh with a gear I3 secured on the power-driven main shaft I4 of the knitting machine. Associated with the shaft 2 is a handle I 5 by means of which it is possible, at such times as the machine is disconnected from the power drive, to turn the machine by hand when required. The quadrant pinion II is arranged in mesh with an oscillatory toothed quadrant I6 formed on a bell crank lever I! which is fulcrume-d at I8 and operable, through the medium of a pitman I9, from a crank or crank disc on the power-driven shaft It.

The clutch sleeve I is circumferentially grooved at 20, between its ends, to receive pins or projections on a clutch fork 2I by means of which the said sleeve is shifted axially from one position to the other, and vice versa. The fork 2| is pivotally connected to one arm 22a of a two-armed lever 22, fulcrumed at 23, and the other arm 22b of which is provided with a toe-piece 24 adapted to be acted upon by cams, such as those indicated at 25 and 26 in Figures 1 and 2, appropriately arranged upon the control drum 2! of the knitting machine. This drum is furnished with a ratchet wheel 28 adapted for co-operation with a pawl 29 which is pivotally mounted upon the bell crank lever II formed with the toothed quadrant I6. Thus, at each oscillation of the toothed quadrant, the control drum 21 will be racked round one step.

Whenever the knitting machine is in operation, either the gear 8 or the quadrant pinion II will be coupled to the drive shaft 2 to transmit the required drive thereto.

The clutch mechanism so far described is conventional. In accordance with the present invention the recess 6 formed in the boss 1 of the gear 8 is extended at 6a so as to be of greater circumferential extent than the tapered dog 4. The extent of the extended recess is at least twice that of the dog. In the extended portion 6a of the recess 6 is mounted a sector-shaped section 30 of a thickness substantial y less than the depth of the recess. The section 30 has formed on the back thereof an axially extending tubular spigot 3I which is slidable within a hole 32 (Figures 4 and 5) bored in the continuously rotatable gear 8. Within the tubular spigot 3| is accommodated a compression spring 33 which is arranged to bear at its inner end upon the closed end or bottom of the hole 32 and, at its outer end, upon the back of the sector-shaped section 30. The section 30 is limited in its outward movement under the spring action by stop means of any suitable character serving normally to support and maintain the section with its outer flat face flush with the end of the boss I. In the specific example illustrated the stop means consists of the head 34a of a screw 34 which is screwed into a tapped hole 35 formed in the boss 1, and the sector-shaped section 30 is rabbeted or recessed, as shown more clearly at 39a in Figure 7, to receive this head. The free end of the spring-influenced sectorshaped section 30 is formed with a bevelled or chamfered face 30b which is spaced circumferentially from the opposed end face 6b of the recess 6, the last mentioned face being obliquely disposed oppositely to the bevel or chamfer 30b suchwise as to define the sides of the tapered recess which corresponds in form with that of the tapered sectorial dog 4. The construction is therefore such than when the clutch sleeve I is shifted axially to the right, by appropriate actuation of the clutch fork 2|, to insert the dog 4 into the recess 6. the sector-shaped section 30, in moving past the said dog, will be acted upon by the latter and pressed aside, 1. e. axially inwards, against the action of the compression spring 33 to or towards the bottom of the recess extension 6a. As the bevelled or chamfered face 30b of the section passes by it the dog 4 will slide smoothly and without shock into the recess 6, to complete a change in the motion of the machine from rotary-reciprocatory to rotary knitting.

The recess 5 in the left-hand end of the clutch sleeve I is extended at 5a. and has mounted therein a sector-shaped section 36 of the same general form as the section 30 previously described. That is to say, the section 36 has formed on the back thereof a tubular spigot 31 which encloses a compression spring 38, and one edge of the said section is rabbeted or recessed at 36a to receive the head 39a of a screw 39 screwed into the appropriate end of the clutch sleeve l. The tubular spigot 31 is slidable within a hole MI formed in the clutch sleeve l, and the spring 38 acts between the bottom of this hole and the back of the section 36. The free end of the section 36 is formed with a bevelled or chamfered face 361) which is spaced from an obliquely disposed end face 51) of the recess 5 so that the effective portion of the latter is appropriately tapered to receive the correspondingly tapered dog 9 on the boss ill of the quadrant pinion ll. Accordingly, whenever the clutch sleeve l is shifted axially to the left to change the motion of the machine from rotary to rotary-reciprocatory knitting, the dog 9 on the quadrant pinion II, in moving over the opposed sector-shaped section 36, will press the latter axially inwards against the action of the spring 38 with the result that the said dog will enter the recess 5 smoothly and gradually.

Naturally, the positions of the complementary dogs and the recesses may be varied. For example, in the modified clutch mechanism illustrated in Figure 8, the right-hand end of the clutch sleeve l is formed with a tapered dog 4 for engagement in a recess 6 which is formed in the boss 1 of the continuously rotatable gear 8 and has fitted therein, a yieldable section 30 as hereinbefore described, but the left-hand end of the sleeve l in this case is also provided with a tapered dog 4" adapted to be engaged in a recess 42 formed in the boss ll! of the quadrant pinion H, this recess 42 having fitted therein a yieldable sector-shaped section 43 functioning in the same way as the section 30.

Again, in the further modification depicted in Figure 9, the boss H] of the quadrant pinion II is provided with a tapered dog 9 for engagement in a recess 5 which is formed in the left-hand end of the clutch sleeve I and has fitted therein a yieldable section 36, all as fully described with reference to Figures 3-7, and the boss 1 of the continuously rotatable gear 8 is formed with a tapered dog 44 for engagement in a recess 45 in the right-hand end of the clutch sleeve I, this recess having therein a yieldable section 46.

What we claim then is:

1. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a drive shaft, a continuously drivable part turntable on said shaft, another part which is feathered on and axially slidable relatively to the shaft, one of the said two parts having a male clutch formation and the other part being formed with a corresponding recess to receive the said formation, which recess is so extended as to be of greater circumferential extent than the male clutch formation, and, fitted in the extended portion of the recess, a yieldable section adapted, when the axially slidable part is shifted to effect engagement of the male clutch formation in the recess for the purpose of coupling the shaft to the continuously driven part, to be engaged by the male clutch formation and pressed aside axially thereby enabling the entrance of the said formation into the recess to take place gradually and smoothly.

2. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a drive shaft, a continuously rotatable gear freely mounted on the said shaft, a quadrant pinion adapted to be turned to and fro continuously upon the said shaft, and a clutch mechanism operable for coupling and uncoupling the said shaft to and from the gear and the quadrant pinion for the purpose of effecting changes in the motion of the machine from rotary to rotary- 6 reciprocatory motion andvic'e versa, according to requirements, the said mechanism comprising a clutch sleeve which isfeathered on and axially slidable relatively to the drive shaft, the said clutch sleeve having provided thereon at one end a male clutch formation for engagement in a recess formed in the continuously rotatable gear, and having in its opposite end a recess to receive a male clutch formation on the quadrant pinion, each of the recesses being so extended as to be of greater. circumferential extent than the corresponding male clutch formation, and, fitted in the extended portion of each recess, a corresponding yieldable section adapted, when the clutch sleeve is shifted axially in the appropriate direction for the purpose of effecting engagement of the relevant male clutch formation in the corresponding recess, to be engaged by the male clutch formation and pressed aside axially thereby enabling the entrance of the said formation into the recess to take place gradually and smoothly.

3. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a drive shaft, a continuously rotatable gear which has a male clutch formation freely mounted on the said shaftQa quadrant pinion which also has a male clutch formation adapted tobe turned to and fro continuously upon the said shaft, and a clutch mechanism operable for coupling and uncoupling .the said shaft to and from the gear and the quadrant pinion for the purpose of effecting changes in the motion of the machine from rotary to rotary-reciprocatory motion and vice versa, according to requirements,

the said mechanism comprising a clutch sleeve which is feathered'on and axially slidable relatively to the drive shaft, the said clutch sleeve having formed in its opposite ends recesses to receive the male clutch formations on the continuously rotatable gear and the quadrant pinion respectively, each of the recesses being so ex-, tended as to be of greater circumferential. extent than the corresponding male clutch formation, and, fitted in the extended portion of each recess, a corresponding yieldable section adapted, when the clutch sleeve isshifted axially in the appropriate direction for the purpose of effecting engagement of the relevant male clutch formation in the corresponding recess, to be engaged by the male clutch formation and pressed aside axially thereby enabling the entrance of the said formation into the recess to take place gradually and smoothly.

4. In a circular knitting machine, incombination, a drive shaft, a continuously rotatable gear freely mounted on the said shaft, a quadrant pinion adapted to be turned to and fro continuously upon the said shaft, and a clutch mechanism operable for coupling and uncoupling the said shaft to and from the gear and the quadrant pinion for the purpose of effecting changes in the motion of the machine from rotary to rotary-reciprocatory motion and vice versa, according to requirements, the said mechanism comprising a clutch sleeve which is feathered on and axially slidable relatively to the drive shaft, the opposite ends of the said clutch sleeve having provided thereon male clutch formations for engagement in recesses formed in the continuously rotatable gear and the quadrant pinion respectively, each of the recesses being so extended as to be of greater circumferential extent than the corresponding male clutch formation, and, fitted in the extended portion of each recess, a corresponding yieldable section adapted, when the clutch sleeve is shifted axially in the appropriate direction for the purpose of eflecting engagement of the relevant male clutch formation in the corresponding recess, to be engaged by the male clutch formation and pressed aside axially thereby enabling the entrance of the said formation into the recess to take place gradually and smoothly.

5. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the male clutch formation is in the form of a tapered dog, and the sides of the recess are defined and constituted by a bevelled edge at the free end of the yieldable section, on the one hand, on the other hand, by the opposing end face of the recess which is obliquely disposed with respect to the common axis of the clutch parts.

6. A combination accordin to claim 1, wherein the yieldable section accommodated in the extended portion of the recess is of a thickness less than the depth of the recess, and compression spring means are provided to urge the said section into a position in which its outer exposed face is flush with the end of the part in which it is fitted.

I. A combination according to claim 6, wherein the yieldable section is provided at the back with an axially extending tubular spigot which is slidable within a hole formed in the part in which the said section is fitted, and there is accommodated within the said tubular spigot a compression spring arranged to hear at its inner end on the bottom of the hole and at its outer end on the back of the yieldable section.

8. A combination according to claim 7, wherein the yieldable section is limited in its outward movement under the spring action by stop means associated with the recessed part in which the said section is fitted.

9. A combination according to claim 8, wherein the stop means consists of the head of a screw which is screwed into a tapped'hole formed in the recessed part, and the yieldable section is rabbeted to receive this head.

10. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a drive shaft, a continuously rotatable gear freely mounted on the said shaft, a quadrant pinion also freely mounted on the same shaft and adapted to be continuously oscillated, and a clutch mechanism operable for coupling and uncouplin the said shaft to and from the gear and the quadrant pinion for the purpose of effecting changes in the motion of the machine from rotary to rotary-reciprocatory motion, and vice versa, accordin to requirements, the said mechanism comprising a clutch sleeve which is feathered on and axially slidable relatively to the drive shaft, the said clutch sleeve having provided thereon at one end an axially projecting tapered dog for engagement in a recess which is formed in the continuously rotatable gear and n has complementarily tapered sides, the said sleeve having in its opposite end a recess having complementarily tapered sides adapted to receive and axially projecting tapered dog on the quadrant pinion, each of the recesses being so extended as to be of greater circumferential extent than the corresponding tapered dog, and, fitted in the extended portion of each recess, a corresponding sector-shaped yieldable section adapted, when the clutch sleeve is shifted axially in the appropriate direction for the purpose of efl'ecting engagement of the relevant tapered dog in the corresponding recess, to be engaged by the tapered dog and pressed aside axially thereby enabling the entrance of the said dog into the recess to take place gradually and smoothly, the tapered sides of each recess being defined and constituted by a bevelled edge at the free end of the corresponding sector-shaped yieldable section, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, by the opposing end face of the recess which is obliquely disposed with respect to the common axis of the clutch parts.

11. A combination according to claim 10, wherein each of the sector-shaped yieldable sections accommodated in the extended portion of the corresponding recess is of a thickness less than the depth of the recess, and compression spring means are provided to urge the said section into a position in which its outer exposed face is flush with the end of the part in which it is fitted.

12. A combination according to claim 11, wherein each sector-shaped yieldable section is provided at the back with an axially extending tubular spigot which is slidable within a hole formed in the part in which the said section is fitted, and there is accommodated within the said tubular spigot a compression spring arranged to bear at its inner end on the bottom of the hole and at its outer end on the back of the sai yieldable section.

13. A combination according to claim 12, wherein each sector-shaped yielda le section is limite in its outward movement under the spring action by stop means associated with the recessed part in which the said section is fitted.

14. A combination according to claim 13, wherein the stop means consist of the heads of screws which are screwed into tapped holes formed in the recessed parts, and the yieldable sections are rabbeted to receive these heads.

GEORGE PALMER. SAMUEL EDMUND CARVER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATEITI'S Name Date Brinton May 2'7, 1902 Number 

